


Snowed In

by alafaye



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Advent, M/M, Power Outage, Snowed In
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-06
Updated: 2011-12-06
Packaged: 2017-10-27 00:18:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/289487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock and John are snowed in, during a power outage.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Snowed In

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the livejournal community, advent challenge. This is day four, snowed in/power outage. Author admits she does not live in London and therefore does not even know if this is a possible scenario.

It was freezing when John woke up. He turned over to find out the time and frowned--it was blank. As the curtains were pulled, letting in very little light, he reached over to turn on the lamp. It wouldn't. "Fuck. Power outage."

Next to him, Sherlock stirred. "It was going to happen."

John sighed and turned over. Sherlock rearranged himself to curl around John's back. He picked up his phone and turned it on. Eight o'clock. He tried to ease Sherlock's arm away, but Sherlock grumbled and clung tighter. "Come on, if you let me out, I can make us a cup of tea."

"No power," Sherlock muttered.

John swore. Of course. Right. Oh, but! "There are some bunson burners I know are attached to the tanks of gas--I can fire one up and we can heat water that way. Good use after all for your lab."

"My lab is very useful!" Sherlock said. "I've solved many cases with the equipment!"

John chuckled. "And it can also make tea. I did it in college."

Sherlock sat up, intrigued. "Did you? Why? Was the cafeteria closed? Or was it too far? Or--"

"Stop," John admonshed. "I'll tell you over tea."

~~~

When John opened the door, snow tumbled in. Upstairs, Sherlock yelled down. "Snowed in!"

"It's London," John muttered to himself. "Bloody London. Where did this snow come from?"

"Oh, it's just once in a while," Mrs. Hudson said behind him. "I wonder--I thought I smelled something like tea a bit ago. Did you boys make some?"

"Yeah, with Sherlock's chemistry equipment," John said. He pushed the snow out of the way and closed the door. "I suppose we'll be using it a bit more. I was going to get something from a restaurant with power, but looks like that's a no go."

"We'll be fine," Mrs. Hudson said, patting his arm. "If we have some heat source, we'll be fine."

John hoped so. She would not have to deal with a Sherlock who had could not do some of his experiments nor could leave the house. He might have to put a lock on the tanks, though. If they would need them for heating food, they would need to keep it away from any use Sherlock could make of them. "I'll make sure he doesn't use the tanks. Oh, do you have enough blankets?" John knew that she was most in danger from the lack of electricity out of all of them.

"I'll be fine," she said. "I've survived much worse, you know. And I'm sure if I get too cold, we can share a bed." She left, humming some tune.

John went back upstairs to find some way of keeping Sherlock entertained.

"John, would you mind helping me with something? I may have found a use for those eyeballs."

~~~

At the end of the day, John was praying to any deity who would listen to either get the streets and pavement cleared or get the power turned back on. After John had locked up the tanks with a knot that he had known only through his army training, Sherlock had gone through what little he could do with the other equipment and had then proceeded to terrorize John with incessant questions. John had suggested some card games, but playing poker against Sherlock was a bit too much.

"This is..." Sherlock was unable to find a word apparently to describe the situation. He was glaring darkly into the street as though he could clear it away if he stared long enough.

"Lucky us that London doesn't get much snow," John said.

"Just think of what is happening right now, without any of Scotland Yard able to stop it," Sherlock muttered. He looked despondant. "Do you suppose there will be a string of crimes to solve when the snow is cleared?"

"For both our sakes, I hope so," John said.

Sherlock sniffed. "What books do you have to read, John? Medical books?"

"Have at them," John said. Maybe it would distract Sherlock for an hour. "They're in my closet, labelled 'school books'."

~~~

The power did not come back the next day. Or for the next several days. The snow did get cleared away the next day, however, so at least they were able to get out of the house. The charm, though, had worn off when they'd walked several miles in either direction of the flat.

Thankfully, Scotland Yard did have power and when Sherlock had bullied his way in, Lestrade had some cases they could take.

"Better you than me, though," Greg told John. "I can't imagine having to put up with him."

"It's been an experience I would never like to repeat," John said. "Thanks for the cases."

"And keep him out of our hair for a few days," Greg said. "I don't fancy him coming here to terrorize us."

"Thanks."


End file.
